Return of the Runebound Professor

Chapter 107: Mastermind

His business with Father completed, Noah headed to Dayton’s mansion. He strode straight up to the front door and rapped on it, then took a step back to wait. It opened a few seconds later, and the butler behind it paled slightly as he locked eyes with Noah.

“Dayton is expecting me,” Noah said.

“I’m not sure–”

“Don’t worry. I know the way,” Noah said, stepping past the butler. The man gaped at him as he strode inside and headed up the stairs. The butler raised a hand, then thought better of it and slowly let it lower.

Noah arrived at Dayton’s office and knocked on the door. He tried the handle without waiting – it was unlocked. Smiling, Noah opened it and stepped inside. Dayton stood behind the desk, staring at him with a mixture of anger and just the slightest hint of discomfort. Noah’s grin grew wider as he shut the door behind him.

“Hello, Dayton. Still expecting me?”

“What manner of creature are you?” Dayton demanded.

“Still asking the wrong questions.” Noah walked up to the desk, passing by the blackened remains of the small chair and sitting down in Dayton’s throne. He leaned back and glanced up at the man, not letting the slightest amount of worry seep out. “Want to try again? When I tell you that I can do this as long as I want, I really do mean it. It’s quite enjoyable.”

Dayton pounded a fist into the desk, shattering it. “What do you want with me?”

“Better question,” Noah said. “Would you believe me if I said I was here to help?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Well, perhaps you aren’t a complete moron,” Noah said. “Unfortunately, that’s the exact reason I’m here.”

“You help by burning my office and breaking into my mansion?”

“You’re alive, aren’t you?”

Dayton’s eye twitched. A crackle of black lightning arced across his knuckles, but it faded away as he took a slow breath, gathering himself. Noah hid a smile. The futility of attacking him was starting to get to Dayton.

“First you imply that you’re here because one of my enemies hired you. Now you say you’re here to help. Even if I was to hear you out, why would I listen to anything that comes out of your mouth?”

“You do realize that those statements aren’t exclusive, right?”

“Just tell me what you want,” Dayton spat.

“To help, of course. You see, you’re going to die.”

“Just because I can’t keep you dead doesn’t mean–”

“I never said I was going to be the one to do it.”

Dayton paused. Then, slowly, he leaned back against the wall. “You’ve come to warn me that something powerful enough to threaten a Rank 5 is after my life? Why? And why would I believe such a claim?”

“How many enemies have you made, Dayton?”

“More than I could ever count,” Dayton replied with a snort. “The weak will always envy the strong. Any Linwicks who refuse to understand that the only real power is the one we grasp with our own fists and not that which we bargain for will soon come to learn. Clearly, some of my opponents are scared. Instead of challenging me directly, they attempt to intimidate me with you, turning me against my allies. I will not fall for such imbecilic tactics.”

Noah just watched Dayton silently. Dayton’s lips pressed thin, and Noah practically saw his eyes light up as a thought struck the man.

“Wait. Are you even hired by a Linwick?”

“Why would I tell you that?” Noah asked.

“You said you came to help. That would be helping.”

“Except you don’t even trust me,” Noah pointed out. “How would that be helping?”

Dayton shook his head, and this time Noah was certain he saw the worry building in the man’s posture. Someone outside of the Linwick family scared him.

“That’s it. You’re avoiding the question on purpose. The other families already realized that I pose them a threat if I come into power. How is that possible? I’ve been keeping tabs on them. Even if they suspected, it’s far too early for them to move.”

“Keeping tabs on them with your own eyes?” Noah asked, tilting his head to the side. “I thought you were all about relying on your own power and not others. Others are fallible, you know. Easily mislead – or bought off.”

“You’re lying,” Dayton said. His hand tightened around a warped golden skull that sat on one of the shattered shelves, crushing it like a tin can. “Enough games! Tell me!”

“Make me,” Noah said, baring his teeth in a wide smile. “Can you do that, Dayton? Do you have the power to make me do anything?”

Fury burned within Dayton’s eyes. He ground his teeth, and lightning crackled between his fingertips. Dayton roared, slamming his hand into the shelf. A torrent of black lightning ripped what remained of it to shreds. A cloud of dust rolled away from the scorched wall.

Noah reached out to all the scorched surfaces covering the room, pulling the ash from them into a cloud of smoke at the feet of the chair. There was quite a lot to work with, so he had no trouble gathering it.

Wherever the smoke neared Dayton, it ran into a barrier and evaporated when Noah tried to direct it any deeper. He pulled the smoke back, keeping it just around himself to avoid losing it to whatever defense Dayton had up.

“What are you doing?” Dayton asked. “Even if I can’t keep you dead, there’s no think you can do to harm me. Your magic can’t enter my domain.”

Moxie mentioned Domains as something that you get at Rank 4. I suppose it would make sense that Dayton has one since he’s already Rank 5. I wonder if you get something special between Rank 4 and 5 as well. I’ll ask later.

“Then you have nothing to fear,” Noah replied, letting the smoke pool behind him like a long shadow. “After all, you’re safe. Nothing can harm you. Are you willing to bet that immortality is my only strength?”

“Just tell me what you want,” Dayton snarled. “Are you here to help me or fight me?”

“I’m here to enjoy myself. I was bored, and someone had an interesting job offer. The pay wasn’t very good, but it sounded interesting.”

“Who? Tell me!”

“No,” Noah said simply. “We’ve had that conversation already. I wouldn’t do something like that. All I seek is entertainment, and telling would ruin it. But… you’re starting to bore me, Dayton.”

“What loyalty do you have to your employer? I can pay better than whatever they do. I have the resources. Wouldn’t it be amusing to turn your attention back on them?”

Where’d the tough guy act go? He goes from wanting to fight everyone himself to trying to buy me off. Dayton must have associated me with someone outside the Linwicks that he fears. I should figure out who that is.

“So careful,” Noah drawled. “Why, Dayton? I thought you didn’t fear a fight. You already think you know who my employer is, don’t you?”

Dayton clenched his fists. “Who else could it be? That bitch from the Torrins. Evergreen. She’s been meddling for years, and she’s the only one bold enough to try to summon something like you. I know what you are, creature.”

Never heard of her.

“Oh?” Noah asked with a wry smile. “Please, tell me.”

“You’re a demon. The servant of an archdemon, perhaps. One that blessed you with its powers.” Dayton’s voice grew more confident as he spoke, and he took a step forward. “Yes. I spoke with Father’s suppliers. My branch has connections too, you know. I know he was gearing up to defend himself from a demon. He’s been ordering Soulrend Poison every month. He’s scared, the paranoid bastard. But I know better – demons have no loyalty. You can be bought. Am I wrong?”

“Perhaps,” Noah allowed, keeping the smile on his face even while his thoughts spun.

Was that what Father was planning to use as a defense? No, it’s probably just part of it. I wonder what the poison is. I’ll need to look into that as well – and more importantly, I need to make sure Lee never takes any of it.

“We have common ground,” Dayton said, growing more relaxed. He took another step toward Noah. “We can discuss.”

“No. You can beg,” Noah corrected. “I hold every single card.”

Dayton opened his mouth. Then his skin paled. “She wouldn’t have just sent an annoyance after me. Evergreen was always over the top. She is the one that hired you. There’s more, isn’t there? What, are you just one of many?”

Noah didn’t respond. The more Dayton filled in himself, the easier everything would be for him.

“What were her terms?” Dayton demanded. “Entertainment or not, you said you’re here to help. There must be a loophole in the pact you made with her, or you wouldn’t be here offering assistance.”

I really need to figure out who Evergreen is. Dayton went from a cocky asshole to terrified in the span of a few seconds. She sounds like bad news.

“I simply have to be rid of you,” Noah replied with a shrug. “By the end of the week, no trace of you is allowed to remain within the Linwick Estate.”

Dayton’s eyes widened. He swallowed heavily. “No. Impossible. I haven’t done anything to draw her attention yet. Why would Evergreen ask for such a contract? If she truly planned to eliminate me, she’d need at least a Rank 5–”

He trailed off, then thrust an accusatory finger in Noah’s direction. “You aren’t a servant. You are the archdemon. Are you just toying with me? Why?”

“I already told you everything you need to know,” Noah said softly. He rose from his chair and rolled his neck. The smoke swirled around his body, attaching to his neck and forming a long cloak. “You’re losing my attention, Dayton.”

“What did she offer? I’ll beat it!”

“My reward for eliminating you is the runes within your very own grimoire,” Noah replied. “A meagre offering, but an amusing one. The true reward was the act, not the payment.”

“That’s it? I can beat that!” Dayton exclaimed. “Just give me time. A few weeks, and–”

“Time is not a resource you can bargain with, I’m afraid,” Noah said. He ran a finger across the top of Dayton’s desk. “You only have a few days left, after all.”

Dayton’s eyes darted around the room. His fear of Evergreen was so much that he’d completely started to disregard the threats that Noah could actually pose him – and that played perfectly into Noah’s hand.

He hadn’t actually expected his plan to work this well, and had been originally planning to just torment Dayton at random hours of the night to build up the illusion that he was just the herald of a stronger demon, but this worked far, far better. Dayton was going to psyche himself out completely, and Noah barely even had to fan the flames of his terror.

“You weren’t even trying to attack me at all with those blasts of fire,” Dayton muttered. He raised his hands, summoning crackling black lighting all around his body and in the air surrounding him. “I should have known. The magic was too weak. You were just toying with me until the week ended. I won’t die easily, demon.”

“I will,” Noah replied. “And then I’ll be back. Again. And again. And again. Kill me again, Dayton. Feel free. Make this more fun.”

Dayton’s hands trembled in fury. Noah couldn’t help but feel that he was possibly the absolute worst enemy that Dayton could have run into. No matter how strong Dayton felt he was, there was no way for him to overcome Noah. He could just keep coming back.

“Wait,” Dayton said. “There’s a loophole. I found it.”

Noah tilted his head to the side, pretending as if he didn’t already know the exact loophole Dayton was talking about. “Oh?”

“No trace of me is allowed to remain within the Linwick Estate,” Dayton said. “I can leave. If I leave the Linwick Estate, your contract is complete.”

“Perhaps it is,” Noah allowed. “But why would I let you do that? I’ve only been playing thus far, Dayton. Why would I let my prize leave?”

“What, the runes? I can give you the damn grimoire.” Dayton bent, ripping a large section of his already ruined table away and pulling out a thick scroll. He slapped it on the table in front of Noah. “I don’t need it anymore. I already combined my runes, and I can buy new ones later. I’ll give it to you!”

“And what of the loss of entertainment? My time would be wasted if I leave this only with a bunch of pathetic Runes.” Noah tried not to look too interested in the scroll on the table before him, but it was difficult.

“If you’re truly an Archdemon, then I pose you no threat yet,” Dayton said. “I will grow stronger and challenge you. In the meantime, you would have an informant. I could give you information! Other interesting news. Trade the immediate entertainment for the promise of much more in the future.”

Noah paused, pretending to think over Dayton’s offer.

It’s almost certain to fall apart pretty quickly, but if I play my cards correctly, I can actually keep him thinking that I’m just an archdemon screwing around and not actually trying. This could work to my advantage.

“You have until the end of the week,” Noah said, picking the scroll up. “Count yourself lucky, Dayton. And, when the day comes that you begin wondering if you made the right choice, lift your ear to the wind and hear for the screams that will come from Arbitage. The contract I have there is going to be… considerably more enjoyable.”

“What of Evergreen?” Dayton asked, his shoulders slumping. “Will you–”

“What I do is my concern. Keep your end of the bargain, and don’t look at the shadows too closely, Dayton. You might see me in them.”

Noah’s smoke swirled around him, filling the room – and he dove through the already broken window. It wasn’t the smoothest of escapes, but he hadn’t actually planned on Dayton giving in this quickly and it was better than walking out the front door.

Something snagged the back of Noah’s shirt, and his hands vanished as he went invisible. He let out a startled grunt as he was thrown over a very familiar shoulder before he even hit the ground.

“Lee?” Noah hissed.

“Cool speech,” Lee’s voice replied. “Very edgy. Thought I’d help you make a cool escape. Sorry. I was listening in.”

Noah suppressed a sigh. “Thanks, I think. Good timing. Let’s just get back home. I want to see what Runes I just got out of Dayton.”